YOAB Community Projects

We are continuing our work with BPD as part of the Reimagine Policing Plan. The YOAB x BPD workgroup is a result of initial efforts.

Workgroup Development

YOAB members and Boulder PD wanted to spend time with one another in order to better understand each other’s identities and work as a team without falling into the youth and police dynamic. Their workgroup development consisted of two approaches. The first one being team development facilitated by Ryan Hanschen, community engagement manager. During these conversations we discussed meaningful topics from racial equity to substance abuse and more. The second approach was experiential activities alongside youth ambassador officers. These activities included bowling, BPD Tour, and an Escape Room.

Open House

Once the YOAB members finished development in the fall, they wanted to turn their attention to community engagement events. One of the events they planned was an open house that was hosted at on Thursday, May 16 at the Boulder Police station where youth had the opportunity to tour the police station and be able to ask questions.

The Substance Education and Awareness (SEA) Fund aims to address the prominent issue of substance use by fostering widespread community awareness and distributing informative programs. It strives for a shift in community perceptions regarding the risks associated with substance use, particularly concerning children and youth. The ultimate goal is to prevent or reduce youth engagement in alcohol and recreational drug use.

The 22-23 YOAB group collaborated with the SEA Fund to advise on grant allocation, review applications, and recommend suitable recipients, with organizations like Natural Highs and YMCA being prominent choices suggested by the YOAB. With their help, SEA was granted $500K to fund organizations such as El Centro AMISTAD, I have a Dream, and Out Boulder County.

In the spring of 2024, YOAB produced a Parks and Recreation Recruitment Video. Due to low youth employment rates in the city, notably a shortage of lifeguards, YOAB's community efforts caught the attention of Boulder Parks and Recreation's social media team. YOAB members brainstormed script ideas and drew inspiration from social media trends that resonated with the youth demographic. After several rounds of edits, filming took place at the North Boulder Rec Center, with equipment usage guidance from the city's Communications and Engagement team.

Every year, YOAB hosts the Youth Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. More than 150 high school students have completed service projects during our MLK Youth Day of Service since 2015. YOAB members recruit and coordinate with volunteer sites, advertise the service opportunity to youth, and lead a reflection activity with each group.

Recently, YOAB members worked with the city’s Comprehensive Plan team to make sure that the youth perspective is incorporated into the plan Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. A team of YOAB members modified the Planning and Development Services (P&DS) team’s Future Choices Forum workshop to make it more youth friendly and met with groups of youth at three different high schools to gather their input on what they would like to see at 28th & Arapahoe and the Table Mesa Shopping Center. The team presented their findings to P&DS to be incorporated into their work on the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.

The 22-23 YOAB aimed to introduce town hall-style gatherings for young people, seeking to amplify youth voices within city government. Previously, youth lacked the same avenues as adults to engage with government officials. YOAB's vision included regular town halls with city officials addressing various themes, with aspirations to extend this initiative to other cities through collaboration with youth councils.

The following year, 23-24 YOAB continued the idea of Teen Town Halls. Following months of planning, a Teen Town Hall took place on December 6, 2023. The event aimed to grow youth voices and address issues in Boulder High School’s community. Extensive efforts were made to market the event, including distributing flyers, leveraging social media, and securing media coverage, resulting in a turnout of around 20 high schoolers. Substance abuse, homelessness, and equitable education emerged as focal points of discussion during the session. This prompted YOAB to channel its efforts towards addressing these concerns, with plans to refine the approach for future town hall engagements. Despite challenges in meeting attendance goals, YOAB remains committed to fostering youth participation in vital conversations, exploring innovative strategies such as pre-event audience surveys and partnerships with organizations like BVSD to enhance future engagement and impact.

The 22-23 YOAB hosted three workshops throughout their term. At the Grief Support Network session, they discussed community needs, highlighting mutual support within YOAB. A major focus was on mental health education and proposing solutions to aid those in distress, underlining the importance of holistic community care.

The Communications and Engagement Media Training Workshop provided insights from Sarah Huntley on effective media engagement, stressing principles like truthfulness, responsiveness, and accuracy. Discussions included how the media is changing and understanding the importance of accuracy in communication, especially when time is tight. Then they put all that into action with the creation of a video to promote the Child Friendly City Initiative.

Lastly, at the A La Raiz workshop, they explored the root causes of substance use among LGBTQ+ and Latine youth in Boulder County, aligning with the county's Behavioral Health Roadmap objectives. Interactive activities prompted reflections on support systems and communication dynamics, offering valuable insights for the To the Root Project and the broader Behavioral Health Roadmap implementation.

The 23-24 YOAB was engaged in the Situation Analysis phase of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), which involved gathering insights from various sources. This began with selecting criteria with community input and proceeding to gather feedback from youth and those who interact with them. Their assessments covered areas like youth safety in neighborhoods and their sense of community involvement. YOAB members took trainings to learn how to facilitate community discussions effectively, enabling them to host events like the Teen Town Hall and participate in programs like the Youth Service Initiative (YSI) and the Youth Equity Council (YEC). Through these initiatives, they administered assessments and facilitated conversations to gather data, which they then contributed to larger initiatives like the Child Friendly City Initiative.

Additionally, YOAB participated in events like What’s Up Boulder? to interact with youth directly and gather their perspectives on city life. Another significant aspect of their involvement was in intergenerational workshops and the formation of a Youth Council, which played a crucial role in directing funds assigned for community initiatives like the CFCI. This approach highlighted the importance of data collection in guiding future actions.

All the award winners provided outstanding volunteer service to their neighborhoods, communities, schools, and/or agencies in Boulder. At the 2024 ceremony there were 14 recipients celebrated. The OYVA award holds particular significance within the work YOAB does due to its unique nomination process, where community members nominate each other, fostering a strong sense of community engagement and recognition of youth achievements.